Live-stock-warning device



Nov.' 18, 1924- I R. E. L. SNEAD LIVE STOCK WARNING DEVICE Filed Sept. 27, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 18, 1924- R. E. L. SNEAD LIVE STOCK WARNING DEVICE Filed Sept. 27 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 II .II

Patented Nov. 18, 192d.

warren stares ROBERT EDWARD LEE SNEA D, OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISTAN'A.

LIVE-STOGK-WARNING DEVICE.

Application filed September 27, 1922. Serial No. 590,831.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. L. SNEAD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lafayette, in the parish of Lafayette and 6 State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Live-StocklVarning Devices, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to attachments for 10 locomotives whereby the pressure of the steam or compressed air may be made use of to warn cattle or other stock straying upon the railroad tracks, by an audible signal and by the actual impact of aprojectile, of the 1 approaching danger: It is intended especially to frighten cattle, horses or other animals from off the tracks as the train approaches.

The invention will be more clearly understood after reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar reference symbols throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a locomotive in dotted lines fitted with my improved attachment, the said attachment being shown in full lines.

Figure 2 is a view, on a larger scale, of the pneumatic gun and whistle with the maga- 30 zine for supplying ammunition to the gun.

Figure '3 is a detail showing the valve for admitting steam from the boiler of the locomotive.

Figure 4 is a section through the breech portion of thecpneumatic gun, parts being shown on a'larger scale, and parts being broken away; the valve for controlling the supply of projectiles being shown in the normal or closed position.

Figure 5 is a similar view to Fig. 4, but shows the valve for supplying projectiles in the open position. 1

Figure 6 shows a section along the line 6 6 of Fig. 4, parts being shownin eleva-, tion.

Figure 7 is an inverted plan view of the automatic valve for controlling'the supply of projectiles and the contiguous parts, the

valve being shownin the closed position, and

parts being broken away.

Figure 8 is a similar view to Fig. 7, but with the valve for controlling the projectiles in the open position, parts being also shown as broken away; and

Figure 9 is a detail perspective view showing the valve controlling the projectiles as detached from the apparatus.

A represents the locomotive which is supplied with a steam pipe B, connected to the steam space of the boiler in any convenient way, as by the valve arrangement G which may be opened by the valve lever C and normally closed by the spring 0.

D represents a wire or cord which leads from the valve lever G to the cabin of the engine, for convenience of controlling the valve 0. I

plug G is screwed, as at g, which'plug is provided with a squared head g for convenience of screwing the same in place; and is also provided with a central perforation g and with a socket 9 adapted to receive the reduced end e of the container or magazine E in which the projectiles are placed. This magazine is preferably closed at its upper end by a plug 0.

In the magazine. I place suitableprojectiles, such as buckshot, which may be either loose or mounted in lubricating 011.

' On the lower face of the plug G I secure guide plates H and H .as by means of the screw bolts I which serve as guides for the feed valve M controlling the feed of projectiles to the gun. This valve is provided with upwardly projecting lugs m, which project in the guide slots 9 in the bottom of the plug and engage the ends of the return springs N, which springs tend to throw the feed valve to the closed position, as shown in- Fig. 4. The valve is also provided with an opening m, and with a downwardly projectifig lug m which projects into the housin TVhen steam pressure is applied to the pipe B, the rushing steam will move the feed valve M from. the closed to the open position against the action of said springs and will keep the valve in the open posltion as long as steam pressure is on. The steam the feed valveM.

open the buckshotwill drop from the maga-- When the engineer sees an animal on the track, he opensthe valve C and allows the steam to rush from the boiler through the pipe B, sounding the howler and opening When the feed valve is zine through the openings and p7". and

'will be carried along by the steam through I thegun B andout through the muzzle 7;

These buck-shot, 'beingimpelled prising a steam pipe in connection with the;

thereof. 7 with considerablevelocity, will strike the animal and sting the same, and the animal will-be frightened from thetrack, if it'has not already paid attention to the sound sig- Any suitable type of whistle or howler 'may be used ifdesired, or the audible signal may be omitted if desired; but I prefer to use'both the gun and the audible signal.

, I prefer to use the steam from theboiler as this is always available-While the'train is running; but if desired the gun may be 'operated'by compressed air, which is generally available on trains, and may be used" -the'connecti0n and in the path of the steam I I I at a higher pressureif desired than the steam pressure. I I y I Theoperation of the device will be cisely the same whether steam or air is admitted tothe pipe B and to the howler and pneumatic gun.'

The automatic closing of the feed valve M, under the action of the springs N, will prevent the wasting of the projectiles from the magazine after the pressure has been turned off. a

By immersing the projectiles. in the magazine in lubricating oil, they are more readily fed to the gun, and pass from the un with less friction, and incidentally igher velocity. v v

It will be obvious that various changes might be made in the herein described construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention; and I do not mean to limit the invention to such details except as particularly pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. An attachment for locomotives comsupply of the loco-motive, a perforated plug fitted into said pipe and having guide ways 'upon the inner face thereof, a slide valve movably mounted in said guldeways and I having a perforation. adapted to register with the perforation in said plug, said slide valve havinga portion extending down and into thesteam pipe whereby to encounter the steam for shifting the valve to bring about registry between theports, means for yieldably shifting the valve to effect nonalinement of the ports, and a receptacle for holding projectiles in communication with I theperforation of said plug.

:2. An attachment for locomotives com locomotive, a nozzle, a connection between said steam pipe andnozzle, a plug remov having a perforation adapted to register,

with the perforation in said plug, said valve having lugs thereon, said plug having channels to slidably receive the lug, coil springs in said channels bearing against the lugs, for shifting the valve: to aclosed position, said valvehaving a portion projecting into whereby the steam may open the valve, and

a receptacle for projectiles, carried by, said plug and in communication with the perforation therein.

3. A locomotive attachment comprising a steam pipe connected to the locomotive, a valve in the steam pipe for controlling the passage of steam, a nozzle, a connection coupling said nozzle to the steam pipe, said connection having an opening in its upper Wall, a plug removably screwed into said opening and having a perforation therein, a receptacle for holding buck shot mounted in said plug and communicating with the perforation, said plug having channels ex: tending into its inner face, guide plates lapping over said channels, a plate valve slidable within said guide plates and having lugs extending into said channels and coil the plug, said plate valve having a part projecting inwardly into the connection and in the path of the steam.

' ROBERT EDWARD LEE SNEAD; 

